BOUTIQUE, c 'est chic!

Jolanta Pluwak is the founder of lifestyle boutique Fifty Shades of Taupe, selling interiors, fashion, jewellery and other passions on Ranelagh Rd, South Ealing. We spoke to her about what inspired her to set up the store and how she chooses her ware

I moved to Ealing 21 years ago and at the time had a couture wedding business. I drove past the shop (which at the time was a wedding shop) and vowed that some day it would be mine

Five and a half years ago I rented a part of that same store from a friend and started selling my homewares and knitwear The collections gradually expanded and I took it over fully last July at which point I repainted it, refurbished it and renamed it Fifty Shades Of Taupe

I call my shop a lifestyle boutique I have a passion for sourcing practical, beautiful, good quality and natural products I love curating my collections so that they fit perfectly into the ambiance of my shop Essentially, the shop is an extension of my home

I stock interiors, fashions and other passions luxurious but affordable jewellery; beautiful natural Scottish and South African blankets and throws; stunning Portuguese ceramics as well as great knitwear; organic cotton, merino wool, lambswool and cashmere mix and cashmere to order

My brand also makes a range of organic cotton jersey dresses and silk beach kaftans. I stock some well-recognised brands, like candle and diffuser brand Plum and Ashby (I have an exclusivity for the Ealing area) I also stock jewellery by Pranella, Rachel Jackson ad Scream Pretty as well as other less known brands and my own designs. The knitwear available at Fifty Shades of Taupe is exclusively made for us

I also have a lovely selection of cards and small affordable gifts; garden pots; garden mirrors; lamps; candelabras: beautiful faux flowers; notebooks; soaps It's all a curated collection of things I love and that my customers love too www.fiftyshadesoftaupe.co.uk